The bargain at the heart of the BBC is fraying • Hacker News Board

Re: The bargain at the heart of the BBC is fraying

#181

Post by msla » Fri, Sep 10, 2021, 6:35 PM UTC

M2Ys4U wrote: post #171

msla wrote: post #83

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The BBC is government-controlled in that its money is collected by the government, which can punish people for not paying, and organizations know where their funds are coming from and attempt to prevent those funds from being stopped.

>The BBC is government-controlled in that its money is collected by the government No, the licence fee is collected by the BBC , by law. Section 365(2) of the Communications Act 2003: >Sums which a person is liable to pay by virtue of regulations under subsection (1) must be paid to the BBC and are to be recoverable by them accordingly.

> No, the licence fee is collected by the BBC, by law.

And the government punishes you if you don't pay.

I declined to make a distinction without a difference.

Re: The bargain at the heart of the BBC is fraying

#182

Post by wyager » Fri, Sep 10, 2021, 6:48 PM UTC

SideburnsOfDoom wrote: post #51

wyager wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You’re being downvoted but I think this is a fair question. I don’t accept this assertion as true at face value. Presumably the BBC, as with any other government-controlled revenue source, acts as some sort of patronage mechanism, and a lot of these roles exist as a jobs program rather than something the taxpayers actually extract a benefit from.

> The BBC, as with any other government-controlled revenue source Point of fact, the BBC was not intended to be "government-controlled", and it is not a "revenue source" for the UK government. https://www.quora.com/Is-the-BBC-the-state-owned-and-state-c... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBC#

“Revenue source” meaning “source of revenue for patronage programs”, not that it makes money for the UK Govt.

Re: The bargain at the heart of the BBC is fraying

#183

Post by jodrellblank » Sat, Sep 11, 2021, 10:28 PM UTC

pharmakom wrote: post #159

jodrellblank wrote: post #81

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This feels like saying "why not get rid of government funded schools and have children watch Marvel and Disney instead?". The BBC's mission was to "inform, educate and entertain", Disney's and Marvels is more like "entertain, addict and profit". From Wikipedia about the origins of the BBC: > " The British Broadcasting Corporation came into existence on 1 January 1927, and Reith – newly knighted – was appointed its fi…

But equally has the BBC made a Simpsons? The Wire? Sopranos?

Iconic comedy? The Office, Monty Python's Flying Circus, Only Fools and Horses, BlackAdder, Red Dwarf.

Iconic political shows? House of Cards, Yes Minister.

Gritty crime/drama? Peaky Blinders, Wallander, Luther.

Massively popular? The above, plus Dr Who, Top Gear, Top of the Pops.